Truss anchorage



Feb. 28, 1967 P. M. HALOPOFF TRUSS ANCHORAGE Filed Jan. 15, 1965 W 20 jil'hl Paul M 77%;

6 (geek/er Aron? United States Fatent' Ofifice Patented Feb. 28, 19673,305,988 TRUSS ANCHORAGE Paul M. Halopotf, Los Angeles, Calif.,assignor to Hally Stamping & Mfg. (10., Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of California Filed Jan. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 425,900 4Claims. (Cl. 52-291) This invention relates generally to trussconstructions for terminally supported members, such as overhead garagedoors, for reinforcing such members against excessive deflection in theregion between their end supports. The invention has more particularreference to novel truss anchorages for securing the ends of a trussbrace to the member to be reinforced.

Most present-day garage doors are of the so-called overhead type. Suchan overhead garage door comprises a door panel which is pivotallysupported at its ends on the upright members of the door frame in suchmanner that the door panel is movable, with a compound rotational andtranslational motion, between a closed position, wherein the panel isvertically disposed within the door opening, and an open position,wherein the door panel is located in a horizontal, overhead positionadjacent the upper edge of the door frame. When the door panel occupiesthis overhead open position, the weight of the panel tends to causedownward deflection, or sagging, of the panel in the region between itsend supports. The greatest deflection of the panel, of course, occursmidway between the supports. For this reason, most, if not all overheadgarage doors, are equipped with a truss which reinforces the door panelsagainst sagging in this way. A typical truss for this purpose comprisesa truss brace, such. as a metal rod or strap, which extends endwise ofthe door panel, over a raised bridge fixed to the center of the panel,and is anchored at its ends to the ends of the panel. A truss of thistype is mounted on the side of the door panel which is lowermost whenthe panel occupies its overhead open position, whereby sagging of thepanel tends to stretch the truss brace lengthwise and is therebyresisted by the tensile strength of the brace.

It will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the are that a trussof the kind discussed above is not limited in usefulness to garagedoors. That is to say, any terminally supported member, particularly aterminally supported wooden member, tends to deflect or sag in theregion between its end supports. Such deflection may be resisted by atruss of the character described.

It is a general object of this invention to provide novel trussanchorages for securing the ends of a truss brace to a member to bereinforced.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide novel trussanchorages for the purpose described wherein the anchorage elementswhich carry the major portion of the load exerted by the truss brace areequipped with prongs adapted to be driven into the member to bereinforced, thereby to effect secure attachment of said loadcarryingelements to the member.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel truss anchoragesof the character described which are uniquely constructed to limitpenetration of the anchorage prongs into the reinforced member.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of theinvention, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafterset forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a truss including a truss anchorage according tothis invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the truss anchorage in FIGURE1 prior to driving of the anchorage prongs into the member to bereinforced;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the truss anchorage of FIGURE 2 after its prongshave been driven into the member to be reinforced;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the truss anchorage shown in FIGURES 2and 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of a modified truss anchorage according tothe invention, showing the anchorage prior to driving of its prongs intothe member to be reinforced;

FIGURE 6 illustrates the truss anchorage in FIGURE 5 after its prongshave been driven into the member to be reinforced; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the truss anchorage shown in FIGURES 5and 6. I

FIGURE 1 illustrates a truss 10 of the kind described earlier mounted onthe panel 12 of an overhead garage door. Truss 10 comprises a metaltruss brace, or rod, 14, the ends of which are secured to the ends ofthe door panel 12 by means of truss anchorages 16 and 18. The center ofthe truss brace 14 extends through openings in the raised bridge 20which is secured to the center of the door panel 12 and spaces thecenter of the truss brace from the panel. As noted earlier, the truss 10is secured to the side of the door panel 12 which is lowermost when thepanel occupies its overhead open position, whereby the truss reinforcesthe door panel against downward deflection, or sagging, in the regionbetween its pivotal supports (not shown). The truss anchorage 16comprises a conventional truss anchor bracket including a flange 22whichprojects outwardly from the door panel 12 and is perforated to receiveone end of the truss brace 14. According to conventional practice, thetruss brace is secured to the anchor bracket 16 by simply bending theend of the brace around the bracket flange 22, in the mannerillustrated. The other truss anchorage 18 comprises an improved trussanchorage according to this invention and is illustrated in detail inFIGURES 2 through 4.

Referring to these latter figures, the improved truss anchorage 18 willbe seen to comprise a sheet metal anchor bracket 24 which is fabricatedby bending a metal strap to the configuration shown. The anchor bracket24 includes a mounting flange 26 which is adapted to seat against thedoor panel 12 and has a central opening 28 to receive a fastener 30 forsecuring the amounting flange to the door panel. Preferably, thefastener 30 comprises a bolt, as shown. Anchor bracket 24 furtherincludes a leg 32 which is joined to one edge of the mounting flange 26and extends from the flange in a direction transverse to the plane ofthe flange. Located at the side of the bracket leg 32 remote from themounting flange 26 is a second bracket leg 34. This second bracket legis joined at one end and to the outer end of the bracket leg 32 andextends back toward the plane of the mounting flange 26 in divergingrelation to the bracket leg 32. Extending from the end of the bracketleg 34 proximate to the plane of the mounting flange 26 are two prongs36. As best shown in FIGURE 4, the prongs 36 are located in and arelaterally spaced in the plane of the leg 34. Also extending from thelatter end of the bracket leg 34, between the prongs 36 and in adirection away from the bracket leg 32, is a flange 38. Flange 38 islocated in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the mountingflange 26 and transverse to the prongs 36. The bracket legs 32 and 34have aligned openings 40 and 42, respectively.

At this point, it is significant to note that prior to finalinstallation of the anchor bracket 24 on the door panel 12, the bracketleg 32 extends at an acute angle, slightly less than 90", relative tothe mounting flange 26 of the bracket. It is also significant to notethat in this preinstalled condition of the anchor bracket, the pointedends of the prongs 36 are located proximate to, but do not projectbeyond, the plane of the mounting flange. Accordingly, when installingthe anchor bracket on the door panel, the mounting flange is permittedto seat flat against the panel. After the mounting flange has beensecured to the panel by means of the fastener 30, the outer, joined endsof the bracket legs 32 and 34 are struck with a hammer, or othersuitable implement, to drive the bracket prongs 36 into the door panelto the position shown in FIGURE 3, wherein the bracket flange 38 seatsagainst the panel. This latter flange is provided on the bracketprimarily to limit penetration of the prongs into the panel. If desired,however, the flange 38 may be provided with a central opening 44 toreceive a nail 42 or other fastener for securing the flange 38 to thedoor panel. This latter fastening is not required, however, since theprongs 36 provide firm attachment of the bracket leg 34 to the doorpanel. When the bracket legs 32 and 34 are struck, in the mannerdescribed above, to drive the prongs into the door panel, the bracketleg 32 is bent from its initial angular position relative to themounting flange 26, shown in FIGURE 2, to its final angular position,shown in FIGURE 3, wherein the latter leg is approximately normal to themounting flange.

The openings 40 and 42 in the bracket legs 32 and 34 receive the end ofthe truss brace 14. This end of the truss brace is threaded and mounts anut 46 which may be tightened against the bracket leg 32 to prestressthe truss brace to the desired initial tension. At this point, it isapparent that the bracket leg 34 forms the main load carrying element ofthe anchor bracket 24 and reinforces the bracket leg 32 againstdeflection under the reaction force exerted thereon by the tensionedtruss brace 14. The prongs 36 on the bracket leg 34, penetrating thedoor panel 12 as they do, rigidly secure the adjacent end of the latterleg to the panel and prevent the leg from slipping relative to thepanel. It is evident that the compressive force created in the bracketleg 34 by the ten sioned truss brace 14 firmly retains the prongs 36 inengagement with the door panel, whereby the fastener 42 for securing thebracket flange 38 to the panel may be eliminated, if desired, as alreadynoted.

The modified anchor bracket 24a illustrated in FIG- URES and 7 isgenerally similar to the anchor bracket 24 just described and, like thelatter bracket, includes a mounting flange 26a, a first leg 32aextending from one edge of the mounting flange 26a, transverse to theplane thereof, and a second leg 34a joined at one end to the outer endof the leg 32a and extending back toward the plane of the mountingflange 26a in diverging relation to the leg 32a. The modified anchorbracket also includes prongs 36a which are adapted to be driven into adoor panel 12a, or other member to be reinforced, and a flange 38a forlimiting penetration of the prongs into the panel.

In contrast to the earlier anchor bracket, the penetration limitingflange 38a in the modified bracket 24a extends substantially normal tothe bracket leg 34a, away from and at an acute angle relative to theplane of the mounting flange 26a. The prongs 36a extend from the outeredge of the flange 38a back toward the plane of the mounting flange.Also, the bracket leg 32a is initially approximately normal to themounting flange. Prior to final assembly of the modified anchor bracket24a on the door panel 12a, the end of the bracketleg 34a from whichextends the flange 38a, and the pointed ends of the prongs 36a arelocated proximate to but do not project beyond the plane of the mountingflange 26a, whereby the latter may be positioned flat against the doorpanel 12a, in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5. When installing themodified anchor bracket 24a on the door panel 12a, the mounting flange26a of the bracket issecured to the panel by a fastener 30a, as before.The flange 38a of the bracket is then struck, by a hammer or otherimplement, to drive the prongs 36a on the bracket into the panel to theposition shown in FIGURE 6, wherein the flange 38a seats against thepanel to limit penetration of the prongs into the panel. It will beobserved that when the flange 38a is thus struck to drive the prongsinto the panel, the flange is bent relative to the bracket leg 340. Asin the earlier anchor bracket, the flange 380: may be provided with acentral opening 44a to receive a nail 42a, or other fastener, forsecuring the latter flange to the panel. Here again, however, thefastening 42a is purely optional. The legs 32a, 34a of the modifiedanchor bracket have openings for receiving the truss brace 14, asbefore. In the drawings, however, only the opening 42a in the bracketleg 34a may be seen.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what isconceived to be its most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to berecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support ofLetters Patent is:

I. A truss anchorage for securing one end of a truss brace to a memberto be reinforced, comprising a truss anchor bracket including a mountingflange, a first leg joined at one end to and extending from said flangein a direction transverse to the plane of said flange, a second legjoined at one end to the opposite end of said first leg and extendingback toward said plane in diverging relation to said first leg, meansfor securing said flange to said member, at least one prong comprising alongitudinal extension of the opposite end of said second leg andadapted to be driven into said member, a second flange on said secondleg having an end attached to the second leg at a location adjacent saidprong, said second flange being disposed in a plane transverse to thedirection of extension of said prong and adapted to engage said memberfor limiting penetration of said prong into said member and providing afooting reacting against stress applied longitudinally of said secondleg, and means on said legs adjacent the junction of said legs foroperative engagement with said truss brace.

2. A truss anchorage for securing one end of a truss brace to a memberto be reinforced, said anchorage comprising a sheet metal truss anchorbracket including a mounting flange, a first leg joined at one end tosaid flange along one edge of said flange and extending from said flangein a direction transverse to the plane of said flange, a second legjoined at one end to the opposite end of said first leg and extendingback toward said plane in diverging relation to said first leg, saidflange having an opening to receive a fastener for securing said flangeto said member, at least one prong extending from the opposite end ofsaid second leg and having its pointed end located proximate to saidplane, a second flange on the second leg adjacent said prong and saidsecond leg, whereby said mounting flange may be initially positionedflat against said member and said prong may thereafter be driven intosaid member, said prong when in place in said member being substantiallyin longitudinal alignment with said second leg whereby to pass stressfrom said legs to said member, said legs having aligned openings throughwhich said truss brace is adapted to be inserted.

3. A trust anchorage for securing one end of a truss brace to a memberto be reinforced, comprising a truss anchor bracket including a mountingflange, a first leg joined at One end to and extending from said flangein a direction transverse to the plane of said flange, a second legjoined at one end to the opposite end of said first leg and extendingback toward said plane in diverging relation to said first leg, meansfor securing said flange to said member, at least one prong comprising alongitudinal extension of the opposite end of said second leg andadapted to be driven into said member, a second flange on said secondleg having an end attached to the second leg at a location adjacent saidprong and said second leg, said second flange being disposed in a planetransverse to the direction of extension of said prong and adapted toengage said member for limiting penetration of said prong into saidmember and providing a footing reacting against stress appliedlongitudinally of said second leg, a second prong extending from saidopposite end of said second leg-in the plane of the latter leg and inspaced relation to said first mentioned prong, said second flange beinglocated between said prongs, and means on said legs adjacent thejunction of said legs for operative engagement with said truss brace.

4. A truss anchorage for securing one end of a truss brace to a memberto be reinforced, comprising a sheet metal truss anchor bracketincluding a mounting flange, a first leg joined at one end to saidflange along one edge thereof and extending from said flange in adirection transverse to the plane of said flange, a second leg at theside of said first leg remote from said flange and joined at one end tothe opposite end of said first leg, said second leg extending backtoward said plane and having its opposite end located proximate to saidplane, a second flange joined along one edge to the opposite end of saidsecond leg and extending transversely of the latter leg in a directionaway from said plane, at least one iprong extending from the oppositeend of said second flange back toward said plane and having its pointedend located proximate to said plane, whereby said mounting flange isadapted to be initially positioned flat against said member and saidprong is adapted to be thereafter driven into said member to a positionwherein said second flange seats against said member to limitpenetration of said prong into said member, and said legs having alignedopenings to receive said truss brace.

References Cited by the Examiner REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH DOWNEY, HARRISON R. MOSELEY,

Examiners,

1. A TRUSS ANCHORAGE FOR SECURING ONE END OF A TRUSS BRACE TO A MEMBERTO BE REINFORCED, COMPRISING A TRUSS ANCHOR BRACKET INCLUDING A MOUNTINGFLANGE, A FIRST LEG JOINED AT ONE END TO AND EXTENDING FROM SAID FLANGEIN A DIRECTION TRANSVESE TO THE PLANE OF SAID FLANGE, A SECOND LEGJOINED AT ONE END TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID FIRST LEG AND EXTENDINGBACK TOWARD SAID PLANE IN DIVERGING RELATION TO SAID FIRST LEG, MEANSFOR SECURING SAID FLANGE TO SAID MEMBER, AT LEAST ONE PRONG COMPRISING ALONGITUDINAL EXTENSION OF THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SECOND LEG ANDADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN INTO SAID MEMBER, A SECOND FLANGE ON SAID SECONDLEG HAVING AN END ATTACHED TO THE SECOND LEG AT A LOCATION ADJACENT SAIDPRONG, SAID SECOND FLANGE BEING DISPOSED IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO THEDIRECTION OF EXTENSION OF SAID PRONG AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID MEMBERFOR LIMITING PENETRATION OF SAID PRONG INTO SAID MEMBER AND PROVIDING AFOOTING REACTING AGAINST STRESS APPLIED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SECONDLEG, AND MEANS ON SAID LEGS ADJACENT THE JUNCTION OF SAID LEGS FOROPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TRUSS BRACE.